South Carolina: $1.1 Million Awarded for False HIV Diagnosis

A Richland County, S.C., jury has awarded $1.1 million to
Melinda Medlin, a woman who said Palmetto Health Richland
Hospital misdiagnosed her with HIV.

Medlin said the diagnosis wrecked her life. "I was so
depressed thinking I was going to die a horrible death," she
said. "I gave up hope. Now I'm trying to get my life back
together. I have lost so much of my life. I thank God everyday
for helping me find the mistake."

In her lawsuit, Medlin said the hospital -- then called
Richland Memorial Hospital -- diagnosed her as HIV-positive in
February 1994. Dr. William Newman III said Medlin was more than
30 weeks pregnant at the time, court papers show. For several
years, Medlin said, she took medications, including the drug AZT,
her lawsuit said. She said she had no symptoms of the disease,
and that another test in 1998 by a different laboratory confirmed
she was misdiagnosed 4.5 years earlier. Her condition was
reported to "one or more" state or federal agencies, the lawsuit
said. Medlin said she suffered "extreme depression, emotional
distress, anxiety, fear and other related trauma" because of the
misdiagnosis.

A jury agreed with her Tuesday after deliberating about an
hour following a two-day trial before Circuit Judge James Barber.
In court papers, the hospital contended it did not violate any
standard of care. The hospital has asked the judge to reduce the
award to $250,000 under the state's Tort Claims Act, which limits
damages against public entities. A ruling is pending.

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